
Ponds, Pools and Puddles
William Collins (Publisher)
Published on 28. March 2024
Book
Hardback
624 pages
978-0-00-220085-1 (ISBN)
Description
Ponds and pools are a common feature of our landscape - there are at least ten times as many ponds as lakes in the UK - and they are also important wildlife habitats. This book provides a comprehensive and detailed account of these freshwater habitats.
The first chapter discusses what ponds, pools and puddles are, how they differ from rivers and lakes, their origin - natural or man-made, the different types of ponds and their abundance and distribution in Britain.
A second chapter looks at ponds as ancient natural habitats that have existed for millennia on the earth's surface. Ancient pond communities, as preserved in inter- and post-glacial sediments, are compared with modern pond communities. This chapter also examines the physical and chemical environment of ponds, covering aspects such as size, shape and depth, hydrology, oxygen and temperature.
Ponds, pools and puddles are important wildlife habitats; they are as rich in species as rivers, and support rare and uncommon taxa including about half of Britain's Red Data Book wetland plant and animal species. The authors give a comprehensive survey of the variety of plant and animal life for which ponds, pools and puddles are a habitat, with a chapter each on plants, invertebrates, amphibians, and fish, birds and mammals. The book discusses the importance of ponds to each of these groups and the ways in which the organisms exploit ponds, describing their habitats and major variations in life cycles.
The pond ecosystem and colonisation and succession are discussed in two further chapters, before the final chapter, which is devoted to the subject of conservation and how best to protect and manage ponds and pond wildlife in Britain today.
In spite of their evident importance, ponds have been largely ignored by freshwater biologists during this century. Ponds, Pools and Puddles makes an invaluable contribution to raising awareness of these popular, yet frequently underrated freshwater habitats, giving them the attention they rightly deserve.
The first chapter discusses what ponds, pools and puddles are, how they differ from rivers and lakes, their origin - natural or man-made, the different types of ponds and their abundance and distribution in Britain.
A second chapter looks at ponds as ancient natural habitats that have existed for millennia on the earth's surface. Ancient pond communities, as preserved in inter- and post-glacial sediments, are compared with modern pond communities. This chapter also examines the physical and chemical environment of ponds, covering aspects such as size, shape and depth, hydrology, oxygen and temperature.
Ponds, pools and puddles are important wildlife habitats; they are as rich in species as rivers, and support rare and uncommon taxa including about half of Britain's Red Data Book wetland plant and animal species. The authors give a comprehensive survey of the variety of plant and animal life for which ponds, pools and puddles are a habitat, with a chapter each on plants, invertebrates, amphibians, and fish, birds and mammals. The book discusses the importance of ponds to each of these groups and the ways in which the organisms exploit ponds, describing their habitats and major variations in life cycles.
The pond ecosystem and colonisation and succession are discussed in two further chapters, before the final chapter, which is devoted to the subject of conservation and how best to protect and manage ponds and pond wildlife in Britain today.
In spite of their evident importance, ponds have been largely ignored by freshwater biologists during this century. Ponds, Pools and Puddles makes an invaluable contribution to raising awareness of these popular, yet frequently underrated freshwater habitats, giving them the attention they rightly deserve.
Reviews / Votes
'impressed by how in-depth, comprehensive, and well written it is; [authors]have surpassed themselves in this beautifully put together book.' British Naturalists' AssociationMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Laminated cover
Illustrations
150 b/w, 32 col illus, Index
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
1250 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-220085-1 (9780002200851)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Jeremy Biggs | Penny Williams
Ponds, Pools and Puddles
E-Book
03/2024
William Collins
€50.99
Available for download
Persons
Jeremy Biggs, Penny Williams and Mercia Whitfield work for Pond Action, an independent freshwater conservation organisation supported by the WWF-UK. They have been involved in numerous research projects, publications and conferences on the ecology and management of ponds and other freshwater habitats.